


Dead or Alive, I still Got You

by blastintoorbit



Category: LOONA (Korea Band)
Genre: 1/3 are ghost busters, ???? - Freeform, Alternate Universe - Supernatural Elements, Angst, F/F, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Happy Ending, Some swear words, hyejoo is a ghost, idk what is their ship name called, is mentioned a total of, minor mentions of blood, one time, rated teen and up for some violence, the rest of yyxy, this is not horror at all, this is not really horror, very minor lipsoul, yeojoo - Freeform, yeolivia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-26 02:55:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,005
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21936325
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blastintoorbit/pseuds/blastintoorbit
Summary: Yeojin finds out that the ghost in her room is friendly. And she may had called the ghost hunters right beforehand.(Just one part of the whole story.)
Relationships: Im Yeojin/Son Hyejoo | Olivia Hye, Jung Jinsol | Jinsoul/Kim Jungeun | Kim Lip
Comments: 6
Kudos: 58





	Dead or Alive, I still Got You

**Author's Note:**

> I can't think of a good title ;-; Yeojin and Hyejoo has like -5 stories so that's why I decided to write for them  
> Also I tried to describe what 1/3 is wearing but I really don't know how, so I'll just leave it up to your imaginations.

Yeojin refuses to close her heavy eyelids.

The dark clouds disperses when the wind blows, revealing the gentle glow from the full moon that hits the window, lighting its path faintly into her room. It’s 1.55AM, way past Yeojin’s bedtime, but she persists in keeping her eyes open.

It’s time to get rid of the elephant in the room.

No, of course it’s not Jimmy. Jimmy is Yeojin’s oversized elephant plush that she cuddles to sleep every night for as long as she can remember. Or Yeojin likes to say, protect her from the dark and scary elements in the night. Jimmy is one of the loyal soldiers by Yeojin’s side, along with Kermit the frog and Olivia the wolf pup. 

Long story short, there’s a ghost in her room.

No, she's not insane. No, it’s not because she watches too many horror movies. Yes, ghost do exist. Trust her. She has seen the spirit with her own two eyes.

Yeojin moved in with her parents about a year ago to this new place, and from the moment Yeojin stepped into the room, the temperature in the room is noticeably cooler, even though it’s a whopping thirty degrees celsius anywhere else in the neighborhood. 

And at night? It gets even lower, and Yeojin never needed to use the air conditioner throughout that summer. Yeojin likes to think that she has great heat tolerance. (She kind of doesn’t.) 

New home, new school. Yeojin gets transferred to Blockberry High, and things didn’t go that great. Yeojin expected it, since their reputation was never really through the roofs, and the school doesn’t exactly care about the number of rule breakers and bullies and rebellious youths in the institution. The closest things that Yeojin can compare to the school were a prison, and a babysitting centre. Prison because the juveniles are trapped in this hellhole for half the day, and babysitting centre because it seems like they were too much of a handful for the parents, so they dumped their kids here to have a sense of peace.

Yeojin is one of the few tolerable teenagers, and she tries to stay out of trouble. Keyword, _tries_. She got involved with problems sometimes, but mostly because she was forced to. One time some towering jerk made fun of her height and she punched him so hard a few teeth flew out of his filthy mouth. There were three teeth, Yeojin remembers, and one of them was a wisdom tooth. Yeojin helped him get rid of the pain in his mouth, but she still got detention because violence is not allowed blah blah blah. So taunting and verbal bullying are? Give her a break. 

And that was the only one time she actually ever made the first move to hurt someone. Afterwards, she just rolls her eyes at people’s insults directed at her and puts on her best nonchalant face, even though sometimes the comments do hurt a lot. But what could she do? She can’t retaliate, if she does, it will only become worse.

And what do all these have to do with what she is currently dealing with in her room? Whenever she gets upset, whenever she locks herself in her room to cry, she feels a pair of eyes constantly watching her, she trembles and she doesn’t know if it’s because she’s crying really hard or because of how chilly it gets when she does. Yeojin thinks that even the ghost in her room is laughing at her misery. 

One night, after staying up late to finish an assignment she doesn’t really cared about, she went to bed around two in the morning. Then she felt it again. The shivers, the eyes. She opened her eyes just a tiny bit. And there she was near her closet, the ebony long hair covering her features, the white gown, the feet levitating above the ground. Yeojin hugs Jimmy close, shuts her eyes again, heart beating erratically. 

She actually wasn’t frightened, she was more excited. She always thought that ghost hunters were cool, being able to see and capture spirits. She once thought of becoming one, and now that she knows she has the ability to, she just might.

But still, she almost peed her pajamas.

Back to the present. Yeojin borrowed her mother’s credit card and contacted the ghost hunters, and lies that she got some presents for her friends. Her parents were also away for a few days, so it was a good chance to get rid of the ghost once and for all without her parents thinking she’s insane and wasting money on something useless. It wasn’t cheap at all, but if it meant to learn how to bust a ghost, spending her month’s worth of pocket money was worth it. To her future career!

The terminators will arrive at around 2.30AM, and time check, it’s 1.59AM. 

_“Ghosts becomes way more visible between 2AM to 5AM. If she attempts something harmful before we arrive, get out of the house as soon as possible!”_

The lady on the phone said that earlier, and Yeojin double checks that her window was open. 

The time shown now is 2, and Yeojin takes in a deep breath to calm her nerves. She is lying down in her bed, with her head slightly up supported by her pillow, and she holds her three precious plushies close to her. 

Yeojin heart skipped a beat when she sees a familiar figure appearing in thin air at the edge of her bed, and Yeojin couldn’t move at all. Heck, she has never felt so terrified yet so exhilarated in her entire life.

The spirit comes nearer to Yeojin, walking (or levitating) around the corner of Yeojin’s bed and stands right next to her bedside. 

“You’re awake.” Her voice is hushed, low, and uncertain.

“Stop! Don’t come near me!! If not I’ll tell the ghost hunters to make you suffer in hell for eternity!” Yeojin finally pushes the words out of her mouth, pass the tightness in her throat. 

She draws back her hair, revealing her face underneath the layers, and she looks younger than Yeojin expected. Why is everyone so darn tall? This is unfair.

“W-what? I’m sorry, I didn’t want to scare you…”

“Back off!”

“I just… want to be friends...”

“What? No, you’re lying. So you can get close to me and possess me or something, right?”

“If I wanted to, I would have done it a long time ago!!”

“Just…. don’t come near me!”

“Hey, don’t be scared, please, I hate seeing you like this…”

“I’m n-not scared!”

Olivia slips from Yeojin’s arms, and lands on the floor with a silent thud. Yeojin wants to reach for the wolf plush, but she’s so near the ghost that Yeojin is afraid that she’ll touch her by accident, and then who knows what will happen if she did. 

The ghost says nothing as she picks up the toy, comes nearer than what Yeojin likes, and hands the wolf over to her. Yeojin is hesitant, but eventually she takes her back, her eyes looking away. 

“My name is Hyejoo.” Hyejoo gives Yeojin a shy and timid smile, and Yeojin’s stomach does a somersault. _Okay, maybe she is kind of cute._ Yeojin thinks.

“Yeojin.” 

“I’ve no bad intentions, I swear. Please don’t be scared of me.”

“Yeah okay, I heard you the first time.”

Hyejoo sits on her bed, and Yeojin doesn’t move away. Maybe she’s not that bad. She shifts up to her bed, so she’s sitting right beside Yeojin, and Yeojin feels the familiar shivers down her spine. It seems like the closer she is to the ghost, the cooler it gets.

“So, can we be friends?” Hyejoo asks.

“Depends."

“Please?”

“... Fine.”

Hyejoo suddenly throws herself forward to Yeojin, engulfing her in a hug. Yeojin wants to push her away, but her hands only goes through her body, and it’s weird because she can feel Hyejoo hugging her but she’s not tangible. So Yeojin just lets her, ignoring the chills and awkwardness she feels.

“You know, I always wanted to talk to you but I was worried that I’ll scare you away.” Hyejoo pulls away.

“You almost did?”

“Sorry, but hey, you didn’t.”

Before they can continue, Yeojin hears a car engine coming from outside. She hops out of bed and looks down from the window. Uh oh.

“Hyejoo, get out of here.”

“Why?”

“They’re here.”

“Who?”

“The hunters. Just, hide somewhere first, please?”

Hyejoo nods without further questions, and she goes through Yeojin’s closet. Yeojin hurries downstairs, and unlocks the door.

“We are the ghost hunters. You’re Miss Im Yeojin?” 

“Ah yes, about that-“

“Is she dangerous?”

“She’s not dangerous. Anyways, thank you all for coming, but I don’t think I need help anymore.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s not dangerous, so I don’t think there’s a need to terminate her.”

The two younger looking hunters lower their special guns and whines. The pink haired one puts a finger to her lip and shushes them.

“Well, then we can help bring her to the afterlife.”

“Erm, you don’t have to.”

“Did you talked to her, kid?”

“Maybe....”

The leader of the group sighs and nods subtly. Her head points towards the truck that they came with, and the rest falls back. 

“You sure you’ll be fine?”

“Yeah.”

“Alright. Just call back if you need help again.”

“By the way, do I get a refund? Since you guys didn’t really do anything.”

“No refunds after the company has dispatched the team to their destination.”

“There goes my money then…”

“Sorry kid. Take care.”

Yeojin watches the vehicle drive off, before heading into her house. 

The door to Yeojin’s room open with a creek, and Hyejoo pokes her head out a little and to her relief it is only Yeojin. She gets out of her closet, and Yeojin rubs her arms because of the drop in temperature again. 

“Thanks Yeojin.” Hyejoo grins.

“So you’re going to haunt me for eternity?”

“I mean, I had no where else to be anyway.”

“Why not move on? Why not go to the afterlife?”

“I don’t want to.”

“Why?”

Hyejoo’s eyes were filled with sadness, and Yeojin really just wanted to give her a hug, even if she can’t touch her.

“Need a hug?” So, she asks instead.

Hyejoo nods her head and bents down to match Yeojin’s height before putting her arms around her. Yeojin really wishes she can reciprocate, but she can’t. 

“Why can you touch people but people can’t touch you?”

“I guess it’s because most of the time people can’t even see me. And I can touch items and people because I was once alive too? Actually I don’t know, I guess it’s how ghosts work.”

“If you ever feel sad, you can hug me.”

“I mean, I always hug you when you’re sad.”

“No wonder I always feel so cold when I cry in my room. I thought you were mocking me!”

“I will never! I know how it feels like to be mocked, and bullied. It sucks.”

“Sorry to hear that…”

“It’s fine. I got revenge when I scared the shit out of my bullies.”

“They deserved it.”

Both of them laughed, and Yeojin falls on her bed, yawning. It’s almost three in the morning, and Yeojin still has school tomorrow. Hyejoo lies down next to her too, and greets her goodnight. Yeojin drifts off shortly after. It’s Hyejoo time to be awake, but she shuts her eyes too. 

She wants to follow Yeojin around in the day.  
  
  


“I used to be in this school too.” Hyejoo mumbles, trying not to sound too loud so that only Yeojin can hear her.

“So you’re my senior then.”

“I guess you can say that.”

“If you don’t mind answering, when did you… die?”

“Just last year.”

“Last year? When?”

“Around March.”

“I moved here in May.”

“That house used to be my best friend’s.”

“My house??”

“Yeah, that’s why I was there in the first place.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It’s okay. It was my fault for being so careless.”

Yeojin wants to find out more, but they have reached the school vicinity and eyes are all on her. 

But for the first time, she feels safe in the school.

Maybe it’s because of finally having a friend beside her. She can’t see her now, but she’s there. 

A force pulls Yeojin’s collar back when she takes a step forward, and she chokes. She turns, beating on her chest.

_Argh._

It’s the huge moron and his two scrawny sidekicks. They’re early today.

“Aw, what happened to your cute little pigtails, shorty?” He says, the other two snickering.

“It’s none of your concern, asshole.” Yeojin spits.

His smug smile is wiped off of his face, and his eyes widens for a second. His eyebrows then furrows, and he comes closer to Yeojin, overshadowing her.

“What did you just call me?”

“An asshole.”

His nasty teeth makes an appearance, but before he can come up with a comeback, he reels to the side when an invisible hand cracks his cheek.

“How dare you?” He grabs his right sidekick by the collar and raises his fist in the air. 

“I didn’t do anything!! I swear!”

He loses his balance and falls when his left foot got kicked, hard.

“Are you okay?” The left one asks, and he has enough of the antics.

Yeojin doesn’t stay to watch the fight. She quickly makes her way to her first class.

“Thanks.” She murmurs.

“They deserved it.”

Yeojin can’t see her, but she can feel Hyejoo’s playful (and cute) grin. 

“World War II started on 1 September 1939…” 

The moment the history teacher started to speak, Yeojin’s brain automatically shuts down. Ever heard of selective hearing? Yeojin can only hear Hyejoo’s voice reverberating through her ears. 

“History’s the worst.” Yeojin says vexingly.

“The third worst after Math and Chemistry.” 

“They’re all bad.”

“School was just bad.”

“Agreed.”

“You wanna visit my grave later?”

“Okay.”

Suddenly, there is a slam on her desk, and Yeojin jolts from the shock. 

“Im Yeojin, if you want to talk, get the heck out of my class.” Mr Lee growls.

“I wasn’t even talking to anyone.” Yeojin defends.

“Then why was your mouth moving? Unless you’re talking to a ghost.”

“Why yes, I was.”

The class burst out laughing, some beginning to ridicule her behind her back (literally). Mr Lee slams her table again to shut the class up.

“Another word from you and you are getting detention!”

Yeojin is about to talk back, but then she remembers that she is going to see Hyejoo’s grave afterschool, so she zips her mouth and nods once.

“Mr Lee is still a jerk, eh?” A hushed voice whispers.

“He’s born a jerk.”

  
  


The afternoon sun burns against Yeojin’s sticky and sweaty skin. Summer in the afternoon is always scorching hot. She drags her feet while complaining to her invisible friend about the weather. Hyejoo is just floating around, Yeojin begrudging.

Yeojin passes a flower shop, and she stops for a while before she went in. Thank goodness for the cool air inside.

“Do you like flowers?” Yeojin asks softly.

“I like roses.” 

Yeojin picks out the healthiest and most vibrant looking rose and brings it to the cashier. 

They arrived at the cemetery shortly after, and Hyejoo leads Yeojin to her grave by her hand. Hyejoo’s touch cools down the unbearable heat. 

Yeojin stops when she didn’t feel the tug from Hyejoo. 

“My sister is here…” Hyejoo mumbles, and Yeojin looks around, and sees the only other person in the cemetery. 

The lady, unlike Hyejoo, has silver hair, about a head shorter than Hyejoo. 

Yeojin decides to watch from a distance, while Hyejoo approaches her sister. Her sister kneels down before the tombstone, and says something under her breath before she started to cry. 

Yeojin’s heart aches for the stranger.

Yeojin comes to Hyejoo after her sister left, and she feels a slight pressure ghosting against her body. She hears quiet sobs, as she whispers words to comfort Hyejoo.

“M-my b-body was never found? I don’t remember what happened to me. Yeojin, I don’t freaking remember what happened. I **want** to know what happened.”

“Calm down Hyejoo. It’s okay, we will find out what happened.”

“We?”

“Yes. I’ll help you.”

Hyejoo squeezes Yeojin tighter, and Yeojin feels it. Her lips curves up at the corners.

“Thank you. Thank you.”

Yeojin didn’t even think twice when she said that.

Yeojin grabs a sheet of fresh paper and pushes all the things on the table that were left to collect dust away. She makes a mental note to tidy her desk later. She started scribbling down her plans on finding out Hyejoo’s unknown cause of death. Man, does Yeojin feel like a professional detective already. Maybe she’ll become that instead of hunting down ghosts.

“So, where was the place you remember being at after becoming a ghost?”

“I think when I was in some kind of forest? I remember seeing trees.”

“You mean the forest near school?”

“Yeah, that’s probably it.”

“Anything else? Like why were you there?”

“Camping? With my friends? I was really reluctant to go because I’m not really an outdoor person.”

“Then?”

“Lemme think…”

Hyejoo paces around the room, her index finger under her chin, digging deep into her memories. While waiting, Yeojin doodles on the paper, drawing trees and animals that are found in the habitat. 

Hyejoo sits on Yeojin’s bed, fiddling with Olivia. Suddenly, images flashed through her mind, and realization dawned upon her.

“Oh! The wolf!!” Hyejoo cuts through the silence.

“You and your friends were attacked by wolves?”

“Wolf. Singular. I don't remember it attacking, though. We were trying to scare it away with the fire… oh. That’s it!!! It’s fire! I remember now, our campfire started to spread everywhere and I got out, but I fainted because of the fumes… that’s all I can remember.”

“What a horrible way to die…sorry to hear that.”

“It’s fine. I don’t remember being that bad actually.”

“Alright, we are going to the forest tomorrow after school!”

“What’s the point though? My body probably burned to ashes, that’s why they couldn’t find it. And even if it didn’t burn, it had probably been scavenged or rotten by now. And it’s too dangerous."

“Maybe there will be bones…”

“No, it’s okay Yeo. I said I wanted to remember, and I did. And that’s all I want. I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Footsteps are heard thumping against the stairway, and the door to her room opens. 

“Honey, who were you talking to?” Yeojin’s mum asks, head peeking into the room.

“Erm, just my friend. On the phone.”

“Okay. Sleep early alright?”

“Yes mum. Goodnight.”

Yeojin switches off her desk lamp, and collapses on to her bed. So much for cleaning her desk.

Yeojin is having trouble falling asleep again. There is something bugging her. She doesn't know why, but she has this feeling that something is wrong. 

“Can’t sleep?” Hyejoo is near her, Yeojin can tell by the familiar chill she’s getting.

“Yeah…” Yeojin whispers, her voice raspy.

“Why? Scared of ghosts?”

“I’m not if you’re here.”

“I’m a ghost though.”

“Yeah, a ghost I’m not scared of.”

“I can be scary!”

“You’re too much of a softie. Don’t even try.”

Yeojin lifts her eyelids just a little, and she sees Hyejoo squatting at her bedside, her triangular lips pouting and the bridge of her nose creasing. Yeojin giggles, not bothering about how late into the night it already is.

Scooting to the side, Yeojin pats the empty part of the bed, and Hyejoo climbs up. 

“I wish I had someone to cuddle with to sleep.” Yeojin mutters.

“Well, I may not have a warm body, but I’m here.” Hyejoo says.

And so, before Yeojin could reply, Hyejoo shifts herself closer, and drapes her hand over on Yeojin’s tiny body. Yeojin can feel the heat rushing up to her head. But the human finds herself getting sleepy, now that she feels cooler and more comfortable. Eventually, both of them fell fast asleep.

Who needs air conditioning when you have your very own ghost to cool you down in the summer?

However, she finds herself sweating when she woke up, like she’s made a trip to the sauna and fell asleep there. 

“Good morning? I feel kinda warm.” Hyejoo’s voice is the second thing Yeojin hears when she’s awake, after her annoying alarm.

“Me too. I’m sweating like crazy. Interesting, so ghosts can become warm…”

Yeojin words trails off, as she remembers the reason Hyejoo became warm in the first place. Her cheeks blossomed with a bright pink shade, as she makes her way down for breakfast.

“Your cheeks are so red.” Hyejoo points out.

“It’s the weather.”

**THUD**

Yeojin falls, the thud echoing through the sports hall. Her right eye is bruised, there is a cut on her lower lip, and now she can’t get up from the floor due to the agonizing pain from her stomach.

“Money. Now.” The blonde grabs her collar, demanding.

Yeojin tries to prise off her fingers, but her grip is too tight. Yeojin bites down her teeth hard, looks into the bully’s eyes, firmly showing her that she will not give in.

“Stop what you’re doing.” A third voice sounds, and Yeojin recognizes that voice.

A familiar figure stands a few meters away. Her uniform is tucked out, wrinkled, her hair is way too long for the discipline master’s liking, her skin is as pale as paper, and her eyes are cold, and Yeojin’s not used to that pair of eyes being cold.

It’s Hyejoo. In the school’s uniform.

The blonde lets go of Yeojin. She saunters down the basketball court, her short sightedness didn’t allow her to make out whoever that was brave enough to interrupt her.

When she gets close enough, she stops immediately.

“H-Hyejoo? S-Son Hyejoo?” The blonde’s voice is now smeared with fear and confusion.

“Park Chaewon. Leave. Now.” 

“Ha. Hahaha. You’re not real. Show your real self, imposter, or I’m going to rip that mask of your face.”

When she sees that the raven didn’t budge, in a swift movement she steps forward, close enough for her to reach her face, but she comes in contact with very real skin that is very cold to the touch.

The raven grabs her hand, and the blonde screams, the fingernails digging into her wrist. Hyejoo’s irises turn red, and the death grip made blood leak from the other’s system. 

“STAY. AWAY. FROM. HER."

It didn’t sound like Hyejoo at all. It was a mix of Hyejoo’s voice, and some kind of other demons’.

The blonde faints due to the petrifying experience. Hyejoo releases, as the human falls on the floor.

Yeojin sprints forward and pulls Hyejoo out of the facility.

They went to the back of the school, where nobody usually goes.

“Hyejoo?? What? How?” Yeojin asks in between breaths.

Just then, Hyejoo became translucent, slowing fading away, until she vanished in thin air.

“I can become tangible, but it uses up a lot of my energy so I can only be like that for a while.” Hyejoo explains. 

“Oh, thank god you came in time.”

“Yeah, sorry, might have gotten a little too carried away pranking the jerks.”

“Wait, what about blondie back there? Can you erase her memories?”

“I’m a ghost, not a magician. Besides, who’ll believe her even if she tells people that she saw a dead person walking around?”

“True…”

“Argh, you look awful…”

Yeojin feels something grazing on her right eye. She turns to the other side, her ears burning.

“It’s nothing. Let’s go back.”

  
  


Yeojin’s parents were, of course, appalled and outraged when they saw their child’s purple bruise around the eye. Yeojin just told them that she made a stupid contraption at school and it malfunctioned and exploded in her face. They let her off after lecturing about how it’s fine that she's trying to learn new things, but she needs to be more careful. 

Afterwards, Yeojin shuts the door behind her and exhales deeply. Today was a _long_ day.

“Why did you lie to your parents?” Hyejoo questions.

“About what?”

“How you got hurt.”

“I don’t want them to worry. They already have a lot of things to worry about.”

“But aren’t you worried about your own well-being?”

“Not anymore since you protect me.”

There is silence, and Yeojin ends the conversation. She gathers her clothes and towel for showering. 

She smacks herself when she has her privacy. Did she really just said that? Still, smooth though.

Back at her room, Hyejoo grins, pride swelling up in her.  
  
  
  


“Argh, finally, last exam tomorrow!” Yeojin throws her bag aside, before falling face first down her bed. 

Yeojin can’t see her, but Hyejoo is standing by her window, looking out.

She feels… sad. 

“Yeo?”

“Yeah?”

“I think… I have to go soon…”

“What do you mean?”

“Look out.”

Yeojin gets out of bed and walks towards the opening, peering out.

A small car pulls over at the road, and two out of the four people inside got out.

It’s the ghost hunters.

Yeojin scrambles out of her room and down the stairs, opening the door wide before the two interns could ring the doorbell.

“Oh. Hello! You remember us right?” One of them says.

“Yes. Um, I don’t remember calling you guys…?”

“Ah, no, we’re here because we need to help the… Grim Reaper.”

“Grim Reaper??”

“Yeah. Son Hyejoo is the ghost’s name right? She has to go to the afterlife soon.”

There was a gust of wind, and Yeojin feels the chillness of the air. 

“So now they’re finding me.” Hyejoo’s voice spoke.

“Hi there, Miss Son. If you like, we can help you get to the afterlife now.”

“I can’t stay here?”

“No, because the Grim Reaper has located you.”

“Can I just run away?”

“You can, but he’ll still find you and escort you personally to the other realm.

Yeojin suddenly holds the lady’s arm, desperation in her eyes.

“Can you guys tell the Grim Reaper to let her be?"

“Erm, no we can’t,"

“Please, I don’t want her to leave.”

The two hunters exchange looks, looks of sympathy.

“I’m sorry. Just… enjoy your time with her while you can.”

With that, both of them left. 

Yeojin moves often, so leaving people and things behind were common for her. 

Hyejoo haven’t even left yet, but Yeojin now feels how it’s like to be left behind.

That night, is another sleepless one for the younger. 

She feels Hyejoo pressing against her. She doesn’t want to forget this feeling. She doesn’t want to _miss_ her. 

“I get it. I understand how you feel.” Suddenly, Hyejoo breaks her out of her trance.

“Remember my best friend? I was here because I missed her dearly. She left, and it was so… painful for me. I loved her so much, but I never got the guts to tell her. I regret not letting her know, that she was loved, by her best friend. And now, I can never, ever, let her know…”

It was then Yeojin couldn’t fight back her tears anymore. 

So she cries, and Hyejoo pats on her back, telling her that it’s okay. 

That one that leaves, sure, will be upset. But the one that gets left behind is always suffering the most. 

Yeojin for sure flunked her math exam, but who the fuck cares at this point? Hyejoo is going to leave at any minute, any second, because the Grim Reaper can appear at anytime for all she knows. The whole week, Yeojin was restless, perturbed, and she lost all interest in anything in particular.

Hyejoo hates seeing her like this of course, no matter how tough Yeojin tries to be, Hyejoo can see through her like a ghost.

Yeojin never wants to talk about how she’s really feeling, because she thinks that her feelings doesn’t matter, because she can’t let those stupid feelings of hers ruin her very last moments with Hyejoo.

So she puts on her best smile, pretends that everything is just as it is before she heard the news, hiding her despair behind her facade. But underneath all that she was suffering and Hyejoo knows, but Yeojin is just too stubborn.

Yeojin doesn’t know if she’ll regret not telling Hyejoo, just like how Hyejoo regrets not telling her best friend.

A week later, Hyejoo can feel that he is coming. He is going to appear at anytime today.

So when a puff of black clouds started to whirl around ahead of their path when they are walking back home, Hyejoo braces herself.

He wears a dark cloak that covers his entire body, his features hidden in the shadows by his hood, his hands that are devoid of muscles and meat hold the scythe of death. 

Yeojin seems to be unable to see him, because she walks right past without even flinching. Hyejoo contemplates if she should go off silently.

But Yeojin deserves to know. 

“Yeo?”

“Yeah?”

“He’s here.”

The human’s blood in her face drains, and her lips turns concerningly pale. 

This is it. The end is nigh.

Crying, Yeojin asks, “Mr Grim Reaper, can you take me too?” 

“Yeo! What are you talking about?? Don’t.” Hyejoo states firmly.

“Tell me, Mr Grim Reaper. Can you take away someone’s soul even if they’re perfectly alive?”

“Yeojin!”

Hyejoo raises her voice. She understands how the younger feels. She really does. As much as she doesn’t want to, her life is over, she has to move on. And Yeojin still has a whole life ahead of her, Hyejoo is not allowing her to abandon it just like this.

Yeojin’s vision becomes a blur, and she can’t stop the tears from rolling down. Pain is written all over her face, and her lips trembles uncontrollably. 

Hyejoo turns to her tangible and visible form, wiping the tears away as she tries her best to contain hers.

Hyejoo finds coziness whenever she presses herself against the younger. Warmth that emanate from the human’s body made her feel like a human again, a human that seeks comfort during the harsh winter, and Yeojin’s the home with the fireplace. 

She’ll miss this feeling terribly, or more specifically, she’ll miss Yeojin so damn much. 

Maybe in another lifetime, they’ll meet again. 

Hyejoo says, “Yeojin, listen to me. You’ll live on. Get it? You’ll live on, and I’ll go on.”

“I’m sorry, but I.. I’ll miss you.. so freaking much…” Yeojin chokes on her words.

“Take care of yourself.”

Yeojin squeezes Hyejoo tight, never ever wanting to forget this.

She’s trembling all over as she kneels down, her head down, and her hands gripping her own shoulders, her nails digging into her uniform.

She’s gone. Gone. She became a memory.

Yeojin doesn’t know how long she stayed like that, till a passerby taps lightly on her shoulder and asks if she’s alright. 

She doesn’t reply, and she doesn’t look back.  
  
  
  
  
  


**A few months later...**

Yeojin walks into the flower shop. 

She picks out the best looking rose and took it to the counter. 

After she walked out of the store, someone who seems to be a rush bumps into her, and Yeojin almost lost her balance. 

“Hey!” Yeojin calls out.

The tall stranger rotates her head a little, and Yeojin’s eyes grew bigger.  
  


Hyejoo?

At least, her eyes are similar to Hyejoo’s. Her lower half of her face is covered with a mask. Her height is around the same as well.

Her hair tips have blue dye, and that’s the only difference. 

“Aren’t you…” 

The taller remains mum, as she walks away.

Something is obviously very fishy. Or maybe Yeojin is just thinking too much.

Yeojin can’t sleep. She tosses and turns in her bed, confused about her encounter in the day. Before she knows it, the time is 2AM. 

“...jin.”

Her attention focuses on her hearing. 

She waits, lying in her bed. She heard something. 

“Yeojin.”

Yeojin gets up immediately. Her eyes dart across her room, the center in her chest pounding against her ribcage. She’s not crazy. Someone is indeed calling her.

And there she is. 

_Hyejoo!_

It’s the Hyejoo she knows, the Hyejoo without those weird blue hair tips, the Hyejoo she couldn’t help but fall for.

Yeojin stumbles out of bed, almost falling flat on the ground because her legs were tangled with the sheets. She is so elated to see her she forgotten that she can’t hug her. She got reminded when her body passed right through her.

“Whoops, forget that I can’t touch you. But how? Why are you back? Not that I’m complaining I’m just so ha-”

“Woah, woah, relax.”

“Okay, okay. I’m relaxed.”

“Okay, so…. I need to find my body..”

“...What??”

“The Grim Reaper couldn’t bring me to the afterlife because he says I’m not supposed to be dead now. Another soul has taken over my body. I have to find my body, and bring that soul to him.”

Another soul has taken over her body… 

Hang on.

“I… I saw someone that looks like you just now.”

“Wait, for real?”

“Yeah. Except that her hair at the tips are dyed blue. And I couldn’t see her face because she was wearing a mask. But I’m so damn sure her eyes are similar to yours.”

“Huh, I wonder how do you remember what my eyes look like.”

Yeojin wants to punch her, but misses when her fist when right through the ghost. It’s November, so she can’t blame the weather for making her face red now.

“I have to find her then.” Hyejoo says, determined.

“We will.”

Hyejoo smiles. Yeojin missed that smile so much.

“Yes, we will.”

Yeojin stretches her arms, silently demanding a hug from the older. Hyejoo pushes herself to her, and Yeojin almost fell back. 

Yeojin doesn’t know why, but Hyejoo feels slightly but noticeably warmer.

She feels a little more human.

(Maybe it’s because Hyejoo isn’t as cold as the weather outside, but whatever the reason, Yeojin had the best birthday ever.)

  
  


The trees are humongous, and the forest is so dense that even the powerful sunlight could hardly pass through the thick layers of leaves that soar through the sky. 

“Why would someone live here?” Yeojin grumbles as she strides over a root protruding out of the soil. 

“Exactly. That’s why she, or he, or they, are hiding here. Away from people.”

They continue to wander into the forest, until Hyejoo tells her to stop when they reached a clearing.

There is a cave ahead, and Yeojin sees another human. 

She was using flint, trying to start a fire. When she succeeded, she plops down on her butt, and removes her mask, huffing out a breath.

She indubitably looked like Hyejoo.

“Do we have to kill her?” Yeojin whispers.

“I will like to have my body back in one piece, thank you very much.” Hyejoo replies.

“Yeah, I wouldn’t want to get charged in court with a murder case.”

“A murder case with someone supposedly dead.”

Yeojin chuckles. 

“Seriously, how are we supposed to get the soul out?”

“The Grim Reaper simply said, ‘persuade nicely’.”

“That’s seriously gonna work?”

“Sounded like bullshit to me, to be honest.”

Yeojin ponders. Suddenly, a bright and big light bulb lights up.

She knows who she can get help from.

That night, Yeojin sneaks out of the house on her tippy toes, fearless of the dangers that lingers in the cold night. 

She reaches the back of her school. She rubs her palms together as she waits for the arrival of her friends (?) with Hyejoo.

The familiar mini van arrives five minutes later. The front window lowers, and a lady with round sunglasses sucking on a lollipop greets her, pointing to the back of the car with her head. 

Yeojin gets on the vehicle, and they drove off to their destination.

She sits in between the pink haired lady and the bob haired one, while the other two brunettes seats in front.

“I… still don’t know your names.” Yeojin breaks the ice.

“Oh right. I’m Haseul. The one with pink hair is Vivi, the driver is Hyunjin, and the last one is Heejin.” The short haired woman, Haseul, says.

“We call ourselves, 1/3!” Heejin added.

“I thought you guys were ghost hunters, not some math nerds.”

“It’s the company’s idea. I personally think yyxy is weirder.”

“Why why by what?” 

“It’s the other team. They’re hiring an intern. Maybe you should join them.”

“Maybe… so what’s the plan?”

The raven gulps down the last of the lukewarm soup, and finishing with a satisfied burp. The fire cackles under the starry night, providing warmth for the lonely girl. 

She wants to see her. To know if she’s doing fine. 

But how can she when she-

A tree branch somewhere was crunched, and the raven spins her head.

Yeojin makes her way out of the bushes, and dusts herself.

_Why is she here??_

She drops the bowl, and slowly backs away whenever the child takes a step.

“I don’t know who you really are, but I know that body does not belong to you.” Yeojin shouts. 

“Get out, kid.” She growls. 

“Tch, rude.”

“Seriously, get out before I make you.”

“Technically, I’m already out in the open and-“

Without a second hesitation, “Hyejoo” got the gasoline can beside her and scatters the flammable liquid in front of her, taking a torch from the fire and throwing it onto the stained grass.

The trail with the gasoline was immediately ignited, and the fire roars as it surrounds the raven, blocking Yeojin’s path.

The heat is unbearable if Yeojin goes any further, and she coughs out the harmful gases the fire emitted.

“NOW!”

Haseul yells, and the team jumps out of their hiding places with their protective suits and gas masks on and their weapons equipped at their back. 

Hyunjin takes out a fire extinguisher, which Yeojin supposes it’s from the van, and clears a huge part of the fire, making a direct entrance to where the imposter is.

Heejin runs in to the opening first, and Hyunjin stays behind to extinguish the rest of the fire before it spreads to the forest. 

Heejin shoots a dart from her tranquiliser gun, and “Hyejoo” avoided it easily because her aim isn’t that good (yet). 

Heejin didn’t expect herself to miss, (she is really good during practice, she is just really nervous now), so she fumbles her pockets for the ammos. ”Hyejoo” seize the chance and bolts to her.

As she rushes forward to Heejin, she unsheathe a knife out of her belt, and when she reached she kicks the gun to the side, startling Heejin.

“Put your hands up and get down, or you’ll get it!” Hyejoo threatens as she points her knife menacingly to Heejin’s neck. 

Heejin swallows the lump in her throat, her breathing uneven and does what she says.

Haseul arrives at the scene shortly, and when Hyejoo notices her presence, she holds Heejin in captive, wrapping her arm over her neck and placing the knife under her chin.

“Please, we don’t want to hurt you. Let her go.” Haseul stated, as calmly as she could.

“Oh yeah? Then what’s that gun for? You people must think I’m some kind of animal!” Hyejoo bellows, choking Heejin.

“Hey, take it easy…”

“NO! Stay away! If not, I’ll have both of your heads!”

“If you don’t want to talk it out, guess we’ll have to do this the hard way.”

A machine sounds behind her, and before she can even get a glimpse, she is blinded with incandescent light, and the soul starts to get sucked out from the body, all of them going right into the muzzle of the special weapon.

The arm on Heejin slackens, and Hyejoo’s body flops down the ground lifelessly.

Hyunjin rushes forward and helps Heejin up, the other holding on to her neck, inhaling deeply. 

“Sorry, I’ll be more careful next time…” Heejin apologizes after catching her breath.

“You’re okay, and that's what matters. Plus, congrats on you two completing your first real assignment!” Haseul pats both of their shoulder’s lightly.

“You guys seriously have like, the coolest job ever.” Yeojin, who has been watching from afar, comments.

“Yeah, and some people still say we are crazy.” Vivi chuckles.

Suddenly, there was a rustle, and they all turn their heads towards Hyejoo’s body. The once empty shell starts to push herself up, shaking her head. 

Hyejoo blinks a few times rapidly, and looks at her hands, back and forth. She wriggles her fingers and clenches them. They feel… warm. 

“I’m… I’m back…” Hyejoo realised, and unknowingly, a drop of tear left her eye.

“Let.. me.. OUT!”

It was coming from Vivi’s gun.

Vivi looks at Haseul, and Haseul nods.

She pulls the trigger, and gust of fog came out, which turned into a human figure, but she was not human.

“Wait… J- Jinsoul unnie???”

The gang turns their attention to Hyejoo, who is really, really shocked.

“You- what? How??” Hyejoo asks in disbelief.

“I- I set the fire.” Jinsoul confesses.

“What?”

“I was wronged. I was killed by another selfish soul. Because they didn’t want to accept the fact that they died. So I- I tried to find a new shell to live in. But, I didn’t know it was you and your friends. I realised my mistake when it was too late. Your soul was weak, so, I… forced you out, and… you know.”

Silence falls, and the atmosphere thickens with tension. Nobody dared to interrupt as Hyejoo takes in everything. 

It’s so unfair, so selfish, so inconsiderate of the spirit that killed her years ago. But still, there really was no need to drag someone innocent, someone uninvolved into her own matters because that just makes her as unfair, selfish and inconsiderate as the bastard that took her life and body away.

Jinsoul cries, feeling nothing but guilty.

“Hyejoo? I’m sorry. I’m really, really, **really** sorry.”

Hyejoo wanted to cry too. She and Jinsoul used to be close, through her own sister. And who knew after all this time, it was _her_ who killed her? Someone who used to be so caring, so selfless, so admirable. 

But Hyejoo knows, Jinsoul regrets it, a lot.

“My sis misses you, you know?”

“W-what?” 

“You just… ghosted her. No pun intended but like, she never knew what happened to you.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to…”

“No, it’s not your fault. If anything, it’s that selfish soul who killed you."

“I… I want to get my body back.”

The rest exchange looks, and Haseul smiles to her team.

“We’ll help you.” Haseul says.

“R-really? Oh, thank you, thank you all so much!” The blonde thanks her profusely.

Haseul feels like her hand is going to drop off if Jinsoul keeps shaking it like that.

“I forgive you, Jinsoul unnie.”

Jinsoul simply gives Hyejoo the biggest smile in return, her eyes laced with tears.

  
  


The van drops both Yeojin and Hyejoo off at Yeojin’s, and they bid their farewell to the ghost and ghost hunters.

“So… are you going back home now?” Yeojin asks.

“It’s like, one in the morning. And I don’t know if I’m ready to just… face them after disappearing for like, almost two year. How am I even going to explain things to them?”

“Well, take your time. But maybe it’s best if you go back as soon as possible. Meanwhile, you can always stay here. Secretly.”

Hyejoo smirks, and Yeojin punches her lightly. Hyejoo feignes her pain.

They tiptoed upstairs, and Yeojin jumps on to her bed, yawning. Hyejoo follows her.

“I never said you can sleep on the bed.” Yeojin says, her face buried in her pillow.

“I do it all the time?” Hyejoo replies. 

“That was… different. You’re like, touchable now and er…”

“Well it’s my birthday today!”

“You being back to human doesn’t mean you’re reborn again.”

“No, I meant, it’s my actual birthday. Like, before I died.”

“Fine. You can sleep on the bed tonight.”

Hyejoo whisper shouts a “Hooray!”, and drifted off to sleep a few minutes later. Yeojin doesn’t know that one can fall asleep so quickly.

Yeojin faces the other side, not being able to fall asleep if she faces Hyejoo, for obvious reasons.

The next morning came, and back to her usual routine again. Hyejoo can’t follow her anymore, because she is supposed to be, you know, and the school might just catch her for her dyed blue hair tips. They are always on the lookout for their student’s physical appearance, and never their inner side. So you can look like a good student and kiss the teachers’ butts, and the school will never know that you’re secretly a gang leader. That’s how most of the hooligans stay out of trouble. The smart ones, at least.

Yeojin runs to the nearest cosmetics store after school, and got some black hair dye for Hyejoo. 

At the cashier, a girl who has vibrant purple hair was holding the same item as well and Yeojin recognizes the girl. 

“Hey? You’re from Blockberry, right?”

“Oh, yes. Got busted today for my hair.” The girl replied with a sheepish smile.

“Yeah, I saw.”

“Why do you need the dye? Your hair is okay?”

“Oh, it’s for my friend.”

“Ah, a friend…wish I still have the real one…”

“Mm?”

“She’s gone. I miss her.”

“Gone?”

“Yeah, like, gone _gone.”_

The purple haired girl lets out a sigh, pays her hair dye, and waves goodbye to Yeojin.

Is she who Yeojin think she is?

Back at home, Yeojin helps Hyejoo to dye her hair back. The encounter earlier is still running through her mind. 

Hyejoo never really talked about her past a lot. And does she really want to know what Hyejoo thinks about her best friend now?

But Yeojin is, at the same time, very curious.

“Hyejoo? Do you want to find your friend? Your best friend.”

“Yeah, of course. But maybe after I find my family.”

Yeojin’s heart clenches. She simply nods, and continues to apply dye on the right side.

Hyejoo notices Yeojin’s expression. Again, she sees through her like a ghost.

When they were done, Yeojin wanted to run upstairs and lock herself in, but Hyejoo grabs her wrist.

“I don’t like her anymore.”

Yeojin turns her head.

“What? But isn’t she like the love of your life?”

“Well, my old life is over isn't it? I’m starting anew! Plus, I’ve already fallen for somebody else.”

“Who?”

“Cmon, who else on earth was with me all this time? Don’t play dumb, Yeo.”

“...And will that stay that way?”

“Even after we die.”

Yeojin tackles her, catching Hyejoo by surprise, and together they fall backwards. Hyejoo rubs the back of her head as Yeojin gets off her, apologizing. Hyejoo just laughs, sits up, and pets Yeojin’s head. 

“You’re adorable.”

Yeojin blushes.

“You too.”

“I lo- erm… so are we girlfriends?”

“Were you going to say I love you?”

“Hey, answer my question!”

“Well, I love you, and you love me, so yes?”

It’s Hyejoo’s turn to blush.

“I didn’t say I love you…”

“You just did.”

“Oh, shut up.”

“Make me.”

Hyejoo stretches out her hands, and started to tickle Yeojin. Yeojin begs for mercy while rolling on the floor with tears in her eyes, laughing uncontrollably. Hyejoo stops after a minute, and Yeojin could finally catch her breath.

“Wasn’t what I meant , so I’ll continue teasing you.”

“What did you mean then?"

Without a second thought, Yeojin places a quick peck on those triangular lips. 

“That’s what I meant.”

Hyejoo wants to scream, but all she could do is become a red mess.

“Cmon, get your mask! Let’s go out or something.” Yeojin pulls her up with her, and Hyejoo just smiles. 

Yeojin loves that smile.

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> These two are so soft I can't 
> 
> Anyways, Merry Christmas! I know its Christmas Eve (Yves) now but let's just pretend this is a Christmas gift for you people. Even though the story has nothing to do with Christmas. Hope you enjoyed! Comments and kudos are appreciated. Have a nice day/night!
> 
> Twitter:@blastintoorbit  
> https://curiouscat.me/blastintoorbit


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